Resources

Because they get dirty! Your HVAC duct system is one of the most neglected areas of your home. The average homeowner does not have the proper tools and equipment needed to effectively clean today’s complex ducting systems.
In addition to normal accumulations of dust and dirt found in all homes through regular use, there are several other factors that can increase the need for air duct cleaning.

• Your moving into an existing home and you want to remove the biological footprint of the previous occupants.
• You have pets in the home.
• Your noticing excessive dust on floors and furnishings.
• Occupants with allergies, asthma, COPD or an auto immune disorder.
• Musty odors in the home.
• Cigarette or cigar smoke odors.
• Cooking odors.
• You have mold in your home.
• Your home has suffered from a fire or water loss.
• You are having a new furnace installed.
• Your home was newly constructed or went through an extensive renovation. (Drywall dust, saw dust, construction debris inside the ducts.

Research by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has demonstrated that HVAC system cleaning may allow systems to run more efficiently by removing debris from sensitive mechanical components. Clean, efficient systems are less likely to break down, have a longer life span and generally operate more effectively than dirty systems.

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems have been shown to collect a variety of contaminants such as mold, fungi, bacteria and very small particles of dust that have the potential to affect overall health. Some occupants are more sensitive to these contaminants than others. People with allergies and asthma, as well as young children and the elderly tend to be more susceptible to these contaminants. The removal of such contaminants from the HVAC system and home should be considered one component in an overall plan to improve indoor air quality.

No, there is no risk of anything blowing back into you living space! Bactronix uses the most powerful vacuum trucks in the industry which can produce 16,000 cfm of suction. Our technicians have the knowledge, tools and skill set skill set to properly set up the job and follow the strict guidelines set for by NADCA (National Air Duct Cleaning Association) so we can guarantee our customers that no dust dirt or debris will come out into the living space while performing the cleaning.

• Greatly improves the indoor air quality of your home.
• Reduces household dust, keeping your home and furnishings cleaner longer, saving you time and money due to cleaning cost.
• Reduces allergy triggers and molds, bacteria, fungi, pollens, dust mites etc.
• Removes odors from pets, cigarette smoke, bacteria, musty or stale odors.
• A clean HVAC system can increase airflow and efficiency and reduce costly repairs.
• Can reduce energy bills.
• Creates a safe, healthy indoor environment for you and your family.

It is very difficult to put an average price on a duct cleaning project because there are so many variables from project to project. Some of the things that can affect the price of a project is the amount of HVAC systems in a home, location of the systems, floor plan, and square footage of the home. Bactronix strives to be as competitive as possible when pricing of an air duct cleaning project and we have found that a lot of times we do come in lower than a lot of our competitors.

Consumers should also beware of “blow-and-go” air duct cleaning companies. These companies often charge a nominal fee and do a poor job of cleaning the heating and cooling system. These companies may also persuade the consumer to pay for unneeded services with and/or without their permission.

I would also avoid advertisements for “$99.00 whole house specials” or other sales gimmicks which seem too good to be true. These companies use these coupons and specials to simply get their foot in the door and then they rely on their technician to upsell the project with a lot of added on fees for things like additional main trunk lines, detailing of the air handler, cleaning of the AC evaporator coil and disinfecting of the system.

Bactronix provides every customer with an upfront Guaranteed to the penny price in writing, before any project is scheduled. Please feel free to give our office a call and one of our indoor air quality specialists will be more than happy help you with all of your indoor air quality needs.

The best way to determine if the HVAC system cleaning was effective is to perform a visual inspection of the system before and after cleaning. If any dust or debris can be seen during the visual inspection, the system should not be considered cleaned. While you can perform your own visual inspection using a flashlight and mirror, a professional cleaning contractor should be able to allow you better access to system components and perhaps the use of specialized inspection tools. Here at Bactronix we provide every customer with FREE before and after photos of the main trunk lines, so you can see how dirty the system was before the cleaning and how clean the system is after the cleaning process.

• Make sure the company is a member in good standing of NADCA.
• Avoid companies who perform a wide array of services such as carpet cleaning, tile and grout cleaning, upholstery cleaning etc. Here at Bactronix our air duct cleaning specialist strictly specialize in cleaning air ducts.
• See if the company has been in business long enough to have adequate experience.
• Get proof that the company is properly licensed and adequately insured.
• Make sure that the company is going to clean and visually inspect all of the air ducts and related system components.
• Avoid advertisements for “$99 whole house specials” and other sales gimmicks.
• Ask if the company has the right equipment to effectively perform cleaning, and if the company has done work in homes like yours.
• Get references from neighbors if possible.

The most effective way to clean air ducts and ventilation systems is to employ source removal methods of cleaning. This requires a contractor to place the system under negative pressure, through the use of a specialized, powerful vacuum. While the vacuum draws air through the system, devices are inserted into the ducts to dislodge any debris that might be stuck to interior surfaces. The debris can then travel down the ducts to the vacuum, which removes it from the system and the home.

NADCA members have signed a Code of Ethics stating they will do everything possible to protect the consumer and follow ACR, the NADCA Standard, for cleaning to the best of their ability. Air duct cleaning companies must meet strict requirements to become a NADCA member. Among those requirements, all NADCA members must have a certified Air System Cleaning Specialist (ASCS) on staff who has taken and passed the NADCA certification examination. Passing the exam demonstrates extensive knowledge in HVAC design and cleaning methodologies. ASCSs are also required to further their industry education by attending seminars in order to maintain their NADCA certification status.

Well there are a few factors that can determine how long a cleaning can take, such as how many systems the home has, size of the home, is there heavy debris in the system etc. But the average single furnace home should take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours to complete. We consider it a half day project plus or minus. Bactronix usually completes two single furnace homes per day per truck.

NADCA (The National Air Duct Cleaning Association) recommends cleaning ductwork every 3-5 years but, frequency of cleaning depends on several factors. Some of the things that may lead a homeowner to consider more frequent cleaning include:

• Your moving into an existing home and you would like to remove the biological footprint of the previous occupants.
• You have a smoker in the household.
• The home is occupied by pets that shed high amounts of hair and dander.
• You have excessive dust in the home.
• Residents with allergies, asthma or COPD.
• The home has gone through an extensive renovation.
• You have mold in the home.
• You are having a new furnace installed.
• The home has suffered a water or fire loss.